The Timeline & Life of Eddie Mabo

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Transcript of The Timeline & Life of Eddie Mabo

THE TIMELINE AND LIFE OF EDDIE MABO Right after Eddie's birth in 1936, his mother passed away and he was legally adopted by uncle Benny Mabo. 21 years later, Eddie Mabo moved from his hometown (Mer) into the mainland, and worked at various jobs just to earn money In 1959, he married a lady named Bonita Nehow From 1962-1969, Eddie was positioned as the secretary of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advancement League (ATSIAL). In 1967, Eddie Mabo helped organize a seminar in Townsville by the name of 'We the Australians: What is to follow the referendum?'. Eddie resigned from the ATSIAL because he believed some members were insincere, and quote 'do-gooders'. This happened in 1970. On that same year, Mabo also became the president of the all black council for the rights of indigenous people. It was a legal-aid and mediacal service and also a black community school. Three years later, Eddie and family travelled back to Mer to visit his dying father, unfortunately they weren't let in to the island. About 10 years after that, Eddie Mabo studied the Diploma of Teaching at Townsville College, better known as James Cook University. In 1981, he spoke at a conference on land rights at the university. He persuaded the council to take the Murray islanders' land case to the high court. Just one year after, the land rights case began. Eddie Mabo got given a research grant from the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies to study land administration in Torres Strait. This was an attempt to abolish Torres Strait's land title, so the Queensland Government made the Queensland Coast Islands Declatory Act. This all happened in 1985. The act was ruled by the high court to the Commonwealth Racial Discrimination Act in 1988. In the beginning of 1992, Eddie Mabo died in Brisbane. About 5 1/2 months later, the high court revealed the verdict, 6:1 in favour of Mabo (Mabo v State of Queensland).